I met Vince Giordano at The Iguana restaurant on West 54th St in NYC. He plays there with his band the NIGHTHAWKS every Monday and Tuesday night.
The 1920’s music is his favorite! But this interview is about another show.
90th Anniversary – George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” – A Celebrarion of Paul Whiteman’s Historic 1924 Aeolian Hall Concert.
The concert will be very unique in the program will recreate the authentic 1924 Whiteman concert “Experiment in Modern Music.” In recognition of the “first jazz band recording,” Whiteman opened with “Livery Stable Blues,” complete with mock horse whinnies and chicken squawks in the raucous hokum-style of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Whiteman then played his most-favored Palais Royal arrangements, which included solo turns for virtuoso banjo player Mike Pingatore, multiple-reed wizard Ross Gorman and trumpet player Henry Busse. Nighthawk virtuosos Ken Salvo, Dan Block, Michael Ponella, Dan Levinson and Jon-Erik Kellso will recreate solos and exact renderings from Whiteman’s hit records: “Whispering,” “Limehouse Blues,” and “Mama Loves Papa.” Crowd-pleasing “knuckle busters” performed by the dashing novelty piano virtuoso Zez Confrey, will be recreated by brilliant jazz pianist Jeb Patton. Andy Stein (known for his work on “A Prairie Home Companion”) will be featured inPaul Whiteman’s role on violin. The program’s second half will feature an augmented Nighthawk orchestra, including three reeds, eight violins, two French horns and an extra bass will join four brass and five rhythm pieces.
To read more about this great show go to this article featured in Broadway World.
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For more information on Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks go here.